Virgin Trains East Coast unveils livery

The first Intercity 125 to sport the new Virgin Trains East Coast livery has entered passenger service.

After taking over the franchise on March 1, Virgin Trains East Coast painted a few trains with an interim branding.

The group's new red and white branding adorned the sides of an Intercity 125 departing Edinburgh Waverley station on Saturday morning.

All 14 of the firm's 125 trains are expected to be repainted by October, with all 31 Intercity 225 trains to follow by November.

Managing director David Horne said: "We're thrilled to see the Virgin logo in its full glory adorning one of our HST trains.

"These trains carry millions of our customers each year - from Inverness and Aberdeen to London. Customers up and down the country will recognise those six letters instantly and they symbolise the start of a journey we are making to transform this great business by bringing the Virgin sparkle to passengers experience.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the fleet wrapped in this new livery as well."

In May, Virgin Trains East Coast said it is "targeting" business travellers with new initiatives over the next few years (see news, May 2015).